Day 4: Northern Knights move further ahead

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Defending champions Auckland slumped to their fourth straight loss of the Plunket Shield, losing to the Northern Knights by 55 runs at Colin Maiden Park in Auckland.

Both teams decided the work together to ensure a result after all but 39 overs had been lost to rain. Northern raced through to 290 off 61 overs with Auckland feeding them runs by bowling part timers Andrew de Boorder and Reece Young.

BJ Watling was the main benefactor with 136 with James Marshall striking 67 off 40 at the end of the innings.

Auckland captain Gareth Hopkins then declared without facing a ball with Northern doing the same giving them first innings points and leaving the Aces a run chase of 291 for outright victory.

Plenty of the Auckland batsmen got start but Hopkins was the only one able to kick on making 76.

Accurate bowling by Graeme Aldridge who took four for 67 and Brent Arnel who picked up three for 53 ensured that the Northern Knights strangle hold on the points table was tightened.

Aldridge and Arnel now occupy fifth and sixth spots on a bowler dominated MVP points table.

Northern are now eight points clear of the Wellington Firebirds with Auckland yet to register a point.

Day 3: No play due to rain, Northern Knights 82 without loss

No play due to ground conditions and bad light.

Day 3: No play due to rain, Northern Knights 82 without loss

Play was abandoned shortly after 1pm without a ball being bowled on day two between the Auckland Aces and Northern Knights at Colin Maiden Park in Auckland.